*03*

Another update, apologies for being late.

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Sam said, while staring up at the ceiling. "Hmm, well that's interesting."

"Hmm."

"And he said he is watching over you.." She pressed further.

"Yes..."

Suddenly jumping off on her feet, "Oh my god, he is such a darling. See, he is actually..."

"Stop that." I was really not in the mood to hear her gibberish talks, "it's not a film!"

"But looks like one."

"Arghhhh! I am not listening anymore."

All I wanted was peace. At home, there was Mami ji, who was a constant pressure on me, monitoring every step of mine and of course then commenting how I was nothing but a useless creature on this Earth.

And here this Shravan Malhotra, doing the same. I didn't need him or his advice. In whatever situation I was in, was all because of him only.

But then again I had to admit. There was something in his eyes. My brain was instigating me but my heart…

.

.

.

"Good morning." Shekhar almost pounced on me, as soon as I put my first step in college.

"Good morning." I sighed. I didn't turn, didn't look, I just kept walking clutching my bag.

"Tired? Looks like someone was so busy thinking about me, that she didn't get a proper sleep." He laughed one of his cheeky laughs.

"See Shekhar, I know what you are trying to do." I shook my head and turned towards him.

"What are you talking about?"

" I may look like an absolute idiot, but I am not. So cut it." I snapped.

"Suman...I really really like you." The way he sounded, that he almost had me to believe him.

"Is it? This is just a game you are playing. See Shekhar, I am really not interested in such things. So please, stop doing all these. And more over I am not like those girls, who love to show off their handsome guys and do nothing. I have a goal set for me, and I really really want to focus on that only. So stop bothering me."

With this self satisfying speech I strode towards my class leaving a very astonished Shekhar at his place. But what I had forgotten was people like Shekhar don't use their head apart from putting styling gel on it.

"Nobody ever rejected me." He easily caught me in the corridor attached to my class.

"Well then this is your first, congratulations." I mumbled seeing the look on his face.

"This is all because of that Shravan. Isn't it?" He gritted his teeth.

"This has nothing to do with him. I don't even know him. And what's with everyone, don't you people have anything else to do apart from thinking of that Shravan?!" This was just getting on my nerves, first Sam now Shekhar. Two days and this Shravan had become my constant problem.

"Oh is it? Then why don't you give me a chance?" He suddenly grabbed my hand, sending a shiver down my spine, my brain and body became alert, whatever it was, this Shekhar is more dangerous than I had thought.

"Behave yourself, and don't you dare cross your limits." I scurried away from that menace.

.

.

.

Another class, as usual, Shravan sitting in oblivion with a book open in front of him. One whole week, but to my surprise, he hadn't made any friends. We all had noticed one thing whenever anyone would come to talk to him, he would just nod and or if necessary would answer in one word.

But yes professors would smile at him while they would just gawk at us. That clearly meant he was not the usual one.

.

Classes, labs and Sam, I was busy dealing with these there. Classes and labs, well I was okay with those. But Sam and her constant commentary on Shravan, you know Shravan is... I was going all nuts because of this. Every time I had to remind her, whatever he does, was not my concern. But of course Sam being Sam kept telling me about him and his family.

So I practically ditched Sam, when Sam told me to go with her at a mall nearby.

"No I can't Sam, there's a book store. Suna hai it's really good and they actually permit to sit and read there. So I have to go there."

"More books, you already have enough books you haven't even read yet."

"Yes, but still I want to go. Please Sam, and if you want you can come there too."

"And what am I supposed to do there? Fine, you go and I'll go with Tiya."

High five-ing mentally, I smiled, "sorry, next time."

***

Chowdhry Book Store. The place of my solace for next two or three hours. No Sam, no Shravan and yes no Shekhar.

I sighed, actually Sam was right about the books, I actually had books which I had not even opened. So I took a magazine from magazine rack and looked for a place to sit. I had to admit, the store was actually full which was quite impressive.

At the corner there was only one seat available where a guy was sitting with a book covering his face, so I ran towards it, I had to reach there before anyone else could. At least I wasn't ready to stand for the next 2-3 hours.

With a scraping sound of chair I plopped down and which made the guy look at me.

"What the..." He stopped.

"Shravan!"

Great!

"Suman." He gave me a curt nod.

"You here?"

"You are here too."

"Of course."

I thought of getting up from there, but something made me stop.

Curiosity.

"What are you reading by the way?" I asked, while he was already into the book again. "I mean...it's not a..."

He looked at me, slightly hesitating "Poems."

"Poems!!!"

"And?"

"No, I mean Shravan Malhotra and poems!"

"So?"

"No had it been a science fiction I would have understood. But poems!" I laughed.

It was kinda funny seeing him like this, all embarrassed.

"Okay...I am sorry, it's just... poems and you! It's too funny."

And again I did it. He was hurt. He kept mum, but his eyes. Those eyes...his weapon.

"Okay tell me what are you reading?!" I sighed.

I really had no idea why I was even sitting there and asking him questions.

He slid the book towards me.

Love sonnets by Pablo Neruda.

Love sonnets, and him!

But actually, I had no idea who this Neruda was. I never really liked reading poems.

"You don't like poems." He stated.

"No." I laughed, "but what's this all about? I mean what are you reading?"

He took the book back, and paused looking at me, "You want to hear Suman?"

His voice was noticeably soft.

"Sure..."

"If you forget me

I want you to know

one thing.

You know how this is:

if I look

at the crystal moon, at the red branch

of the slow autumn at my window,

if I touch

near the fire

the impalpable ash

or the wrinkled body of the log,

everything carries me to you,

as if everything that exists,

aromas, light, metals,

were little boats

that sail

toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

Well, now,

if little by little you stop loving me

I shall stop loving you little by little.

If suddenly

you forget me

do not look for me,

for I shall already have forgotten you.

If you think it long and mad,

the wind of banners

that passes through my life,

and you decide

to leave me at the shore

of the heart where I have roots,

remember

that on that day,

at that hour,

I shall lift my arms

and my roots will set off

to seek another land.

But

if each day,

each hour,

you feel that you are destined for me

with implacable sweetness,

if each day a flower

climbs up to your lips to seek me,

ah my love, ah my own,

in me all that fire is repeated,

in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,

my love feeds on your love, beloved,

and as long as you live it will be in your arms

without leaving mine."

His voice, if we could compare voice with wave, his was perfect. The way he pronounced every word, every line, his voice modulation, going through every crest and trough, it was mesmerizing. I never did notice, he actually has a lovely deep voice.

"Wow that's...intense and romantic." I managed to say.

"More of a threat." He furrowed his eyebrows, looking at me, though why I couldn't understand.

"Hmmm?"

"It was most probably written while he was in exile. Either it was for his lover or his country."

"Oh...exile!"

"Yes he was this communist..." He enthusiastically started. For a change, he looked relaxed, he was actually enjoying talking of this poet of whom I had no idea.

"You are bored."

I laughed, "No actually amazed, you actually can talk like this. Its good."

"Hmm" he said glaring at the book, from which I assumed, this little piece of information you actually can talk like this was something he wasn't happy about.

Weird!

We didn't talk for the next two hours, sitting with him, it was actually nice. I always was a sucker of silence. Shravan was similar.

We walked back to the hostel. Together. But again in complete silence. He never initiated any conversation, neither did I.

This Shravan Malhotra was entirely other, there was something in him, that was very intriguing. His silence, his rudeness, his confidence, his one liners, and now poems. But the thing that exceeded everything was his eyes, deep light brown eyes, like he would look through it, into your soul. X-Ray eyes.

"Hmmm."

"Yes?" I asked.

"That Shekhar, he doesn't disturb you anymore right?"

"Funnily no. I wonder what happened!" Not only he didn't disturb, I didn't even see him around, after that day.

Wait a second!

"This isn't your doing right?"

"What?!"

The amused look on his face said it all. It was him.

"What did you do?"

"I didn't."

"Then who?"

"As I said, I didn't. He should have been more careful."

"I am asking what did you do? Answer me for God's sake."

"Nothing. We are here. Go back to your room. We'll talk later." He dismissed and walked away leaving a baffled me.

What is he!

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